Berger leads, Trojans in 2nd at BVU Fall Invite
STORM LAKE - NIACC's Bennett Berger fired a four-under par 68 to take the first day lead Saturday at the Buena Vista Fall Invitational.
Berger, a sophomore from Lake Mills, leads the field by three strokes heading into Sunday's final round at the Lake Creek Country Club. The Trojans are tied for second in the team standings with a first-day score of 300, trailing only Loras College, which shot 298.
Loras College's Doug Custis sits in second place with a one-under par 71.
The 68 by Berger is tied for the second lowest round by a NIACC men's golfer in the Chris Frenz era, which began in 2006. Berger shot the lowest round in the Frenz era with a 67 on Tuesday at the NIACC Fall Invitational.
"Bennett Berger was really good (Saturday)," Frenz said. "When he gets rolling, there's really not much that can stop him.
"He bombs the ball off the tee and he's normally very accurate and that just leads to a good, solid score."
NIACC trails Loras College by two strokes after the first 18 holes and Simpson College sits in third place with a 302. Host Buena Vista is in fourth place with a 305.
"It was a nice effort out of our guys (Saturday)," Frenz said, "and we've put ourselves in position to win this tournament with a high-quality round (Sunday)."
NIACC freshman Garrett Ham, who prepped at Lake Mills, is tied for fifth in the individual medalist competition with a 74.
"Garrett Ham doubled the first hole, but he does such a great job of staying in the moment," Frenz said, "and he got it to even par late in the round, but the finishing holes here are tough."
Also for the Trojans Saturday, freshman Ashtin Willms shot 77, freshman Drew DeGabriele shot 81 and freshman Ian Roske shot 90.
"I liked how Ashtin Willms finished (Saturday)," Frenz said. "I knew he would bounce back from a disappointing day last Tuesday and Drew DeGabriele was his normal solid self."
The final round is set for Sunday as the Trojans seek their first team title since winning the 2023 Waldorf University Fall Invitational.
"It sounds like the weather is going to be much cooler and the winds completely opposite of what they were (Saturday)," Frenz said. "We look forward to the challenge (Sunday)."
Team standings - Loras College 298, NIACC 300, Simpson College 302, Buena Vista University 305, Grinnell University 313, Wartburg College 320, Waldorf University B team 324, Buena Vista University B team 329.
NIACC MEN'S LOWEST SCORING ROUNDS UNDER FRENZ (FALL 2006-)
Bennett Berger 67 (NIACC Fall Invitational) (9-17-24)
Jacob Urdahl 68 (RCTC Invitational) (9-13-12)
Levi Fink 68 (Day 2, NJCAA Division II National Championships) (5-21-14)
Tim Castle 68 (NIACC Fall Invitational (9-26-23)
Bennett Berger 68 (Day 1, Buena Vista Fall Invitational) (9-21-24)
Ben Boerjan 69 (Grand View Shootout) (9-17-18)
Ben Boerjan 69 (Iowa Central Invitational) (4-14-19)
Elic Fjetland 69 (Waldorf Fall Invitational) (9-29-23)
Tim Castle 69 (The Verhille Invitational) (4-16-24)
Garrett Ham 69 (NIACC Fall Invitational (9-17-24)
Levi Fink 70 (DMACC Invitational) (4-4-13)
Hunter Miller 70 (Iowa Central Invitational) (4-6-14)
Levi Fink 70 (Day 4, NJCAA Division II National Championships, 2014)
Sam Steinwand 70 (Day 1, NJCAA Division II National Championships. 2015)
Spencer Sage 71 (NIACC Fall Invitational) (2009)
Dalton Olson 71 (Iowa Lakes Invitational) (4-29-13)
Logan Jarvis 71 (DMACC Invitational) (9-6-13)
Joe Myers 71 (DMACC Invitational) (9-6-13)
Levi Fink 71 (Clarke Invitational) (9-16-13)
Sam Steinwand 71 (Day 3, NJCAA Division II National Championships, 2015)
Joe Nordquist 71 (Waldorf Invitational) (9-18-16)
Ben Boerjan 71 (Day 1 NJCAA Region XI tournament, 2019)
Jon Doherty 71 (Waldorf Invitational) (9-27-20)
